Pray for Cambodia

At the center of Cambodia’s flag is Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious complex. It was built during Cambodia’s golden age, during the time of the Khmer empire. From the 9th century, Cambodians ruled Southeast Asia for more than six hundred years. Today, most Cambodians live in rural areas, some of whom live in floating villages — a network of homes and marketplaces that sit on top of flooded land. The people of Cambodia are generally polite, careful to avoid saying or doing anything that causes offense to others. They are often quiet people, and they are quick to help a friend — and stranger — if help is ever needed. Cambodians also demonstrate resilience, having lived under the influence of violent powers for decades. After years of war and abuse from oppressive governments, Cambodia has only recently started to enjoy greater peace and freedom.

From 1975 to 1979 a brutal, Communist movement targeted anyone who even appeared to think about disobeying them. The Khmer Rouge slaughtered two million people, about a quarter of the population, in the “killing fields.” Safety has improved immensely since then; people have jobs and can live in homes without fear. Still, roughly eighteen percent live in poverty, and many individuals are in thousands of dollars of debt. Millions more live in small wooden or tin-roofed homes with dirt floors and few modern comforts. The educated class was especially targeted during the Cambodian genocide, and the nation desperately needs skilled leaders who can help rebuild the economy. Recently, the current government freed thousands of human trafficking victims, but many victims lack support as they rebuild their lives. The concentration of power among Cambodia’s leaders means the needs of regular Cambodians are often neglected.

Since the 15th century, Buddhism has been the national religion in Cambodia. Today 85 percent of the population is Buddhist, while three percent practice Christianity. Christianity has survived despite past attempts to eliminate religion in the country, and churches are in desperate need of trained leaders. By God’s grace, the current government is generally accepting of missionaries as long as they do not appear to threaten public order, and this freedom has allowed foreign missionaries to plant churches. However, discipleship is difficult because new believers often do not see a need to grow spiritually. Because many Cambodians live in poverty, some first see a missionary as a source of practical help and do not see how important the Gospel message is. Moreover, the grip of Buddhism is strong, and while Cambodians will peacefully live with Christians, they do not realize how much they need to find peace with Jesus.